Gas-generating apparatus.



A. D. BRASSON L A. A. YANKEE. GAS GENBRATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1910.

969,085. Patented Aug. so, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET, 1.

l Il

I II

A. D. BRASSON A. A. YANKEB. GAS GBNERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1910.

969,085. Patented Aug. so, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET z.

eHow/tut A. D. BRASSON & A. A. YANKEE.

GAS GENERATING APPARATUS. APPLIQATION FILED 215.25. 1910.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. D. BRASSON & A. A. YANKEE.

GAS GENERATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED I'E. 25, 1910.

969,085. Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Q/qvbrmn 4624.075011 .Zf'axam UNITED .STATES PATENT oEEioE.

ADELAR D. BRASSON AND lANTON' A. YANKEE, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

eas-en'rmna'rnver APrAnATUs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Application filed February 25, 1910. Serial No. 545,883.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Bc it known that we, ADELARD and ANTON A. YANKEE, citizens of the UnitedStates, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have invented new and useful Improvements inGas-'Generating Apparatus, of` which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to gas generating apparatus of that typedesignedfor the production of gas from liquid hydrocarbons and which embodiesgenerating chambers containing a mass of regenerative material adaptedto be heated to the desired tempera-- ture for producing gas fromv amixture of steam and oil passing therethrough, said chambers beingconstructed and connected for the passage of a blast of air in eitherdirection, so that the regenerative material in the chambers maybeeffectively heated by the combustion of steam and oil and'the traverseof the heat through the influence of the blast.

The object of the invention is to` provide a generator of the doubledown run type wherein the regenerative material in bothgenerating'chambers will be heated simultaneously and both chambers maybe employed simultaneously for the production of gas, thus securing anincreased production with less fuel for heating npurposes and greatereconomy of operation by avoidance of t-he waste of heat occurring in theuse of but a single generator after both have been preliminarily heated,as is customary in generators of this type.

A further object of the invention is to improve andsimplify theconstruction and increase the practical etliciency of gas generators ofthis character, as well as to pro- -vide a machine which may be readilycleaned and repaired and is not liable to get out of order.

lVith these and 'other objects in view, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gas generating apparatus constructedin accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the sameFig. 3 is a top plan view, showing one of the generators in hori-.zontal section, the section being taken D. BRAssoN '1. and. 4. 4desiredpoints with suitably closed peep through the lower combustion chamberthereof. Fig.A 4 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated bythe irregular line 4 4 of Fig. 1. l

Referring to the drawings` A and A designate the two generators Vof theapparatus which may be of any approved construction and preferably ofupright cylindrical form and consisting of a masonry wall 1 inclosed ina metal shell 2, each generator being provided at its base with acombustion charnber 3, the two combustion chambers being inpermanentcommunication through a connection. 4 disposed between thelower ends of the generators, as clearly shown in Figs. The generatorsare provided atholes 5, and the generators and connection 4 are alsoprovided at suitable points with manholes covered by-plates 6. Thecombustion chambers 3 of the two generators are 1n' communicationthrough passages 7 with a mlXlng and discharge chamber 8 formed by theconnection 4. The chamber 8 has communicating therewith a secondaryblast pipe 9 provided wit-h a controlling valve 10, and has an outletpassage 11 from which leads a gas discharge pipe 12.

The discharge pipe 12 isarranged to conduct the gasto a washer 13 of anypreferred construction,l which receives water through a supply pipe 14.The washer overflows through the discharge spout 15 into seal pots 16 ofany approved construction, and the carbon separated from the gas passesoft' with the overflow water from the washer. The washer is provided atits bottom with a drain outlet 17 controlled by a valve 18, by whichitmay be cleaned out at any time. The washed gas is drawn oit' from thewasher into a suitable type of scrubber 19 through a connecting pipe 20provided with la controlling valve 21. The scrubber is provided with awater' inlet 22 a valved drain outlet 23 and a gas discharge connectionor outlet 24, through which latter the gas may be drawn off fordischarge into any suitable storage reservoir.

Each generator is provided with an upper or top combustion chamber 25with which communicates a Hue 26 adapted to be closed at its upper endby a valve 27 and provided at one side with an air blast pipe or connetion 28 having a controlling valve 29, the connections. 28 of the twogenerators communicating with a common air supplyT pipe 30 through whichair under pressure may be supplied from any suitable source. The chamber25 contains a body of regenerative material 31, supported upon an arch32 and composed of a checker work of tire brick or other suitablematerial. Below the arch 32 is a combined mixing and combustion chamber33, and within the generator between said chamber 33 and the lowercombustion chamber 3 is a mass of regenerative material 34, alsopreferably composed of a checker work of tire brick, supported by anarch forming the top of said lower combustion chamber.

Surrounding the upper portion of each generator are two sets of steamand oil pipes-one set designed for heating and the other for gasproducing purposes. One of these sets comprises a steam pipe 35 and oilpipe 36 which are connected by suitable branches 37 with injectornozzles 38 entering the combined mixing and combustion chamber 33. Theother set of pipes comprises a steam supply pipe 39 and an oil pipe 40connected by branches 4l with nozzles or ejector burners 42 which enterthe chamber 33. Surrounding the base of the apparatus, that is extendingcompletely around both generators are main steam and oil supply pipes 43and 44 which are adapted to be respectively coupled to conductorsleading from the sources of steam and oil supply at the points 45 and46. Branches 47 connect said pipes 43 and 44 with injector burners ornozzles 48 which enter the lo-wer combustion chambers 3 of thegenerator. Between the said connections 45 and 46 and the branches 47leading to the nozzles 48 each side of the apparatus the pipes areprovided respectively with controlling valves 49 and 50. From the pipe43 extends a pipe 51 which is coupled to the steam pipes 39 of the twogenerators and is provided with a controlling valve 51. Leading from thepipe 43 on opposite sides of the pipe 51 are pipes 52 and 53respectively which independently connect the pipe 43 with the steam pipe35 of the two generators and are provided respectively with controllingvalves 52 and 53. Pipes 54 and 55 connect the oil pipe 44 with the oilpipes 36 of the respective generators and are provided with control lingvalves 544 and 55, while pipes 56 and 57connect the pipe 44 with thepipes 40 and nozzles 42 of the respective generators and are providedwith 'controlling valves 56 and 57. It will be observed that all of thevalves controlling the tlowmf oil, steam and air are arranged at thefront of the machine in a position for convenient i'nanipulation, sothat the entire operation of the machine may be governed from a singlepoint.

In order to supply suilicient oil and steam for the generation of amaximum amount of gas at a determined pressure within a gi ven amount oftime, the injectors 43 should be made comparatively large. At the sametime if these injectors were employed for the initial h eating,whichrequires but a relatively small amount of oil and steam, a waste of oiland steam would result, as too much oil and steam would be supplied.lVe, therefore, employ the injectors 38 in addition to the injectors 43and malte them preferably of relatively smaller size, so that said set38 may be employed solely for initial heating and to supply only asuilicient amount of oil and steam for the purpose.

In operation, "assuming all valves to be closed, the valve 27 ofgenerator A and valve 29 connected with the air blast 28 o't thegenerator A is opened, after which the valves 53 and 55 are opened, to.inject steam and oil through the nozzles 38 into the combined'mixingand combustion chamber 33 ofthe generator A. The charges being ignited,said chamber' will be heated, as will the arch 32 and regenerativematerial 31, hea-ting t-he blast as 1t passes downward therethrough,which blast will in turn heat the regenerative material 34.y As ysoon asthe heat begins to pass from generator A to generator A through thechamber 8 of connection 4, valve 10 is opened to augment the blast andvalves 49 and 50 are opened for the injection of steam and oil intocombustion chamber 3 of generator A', the mixture being ignited andfurther @eating the blast which, on its upward travel through generatorA, heats the bodies of regenerative material therein and finallydischarges through the outlet 26 of said generator. The steam valves areopen at the times named to admit steam with the oil when the generatorsare clean or free from carbon deposits. If, however, the generators arecoated with deposits of this character, a restricted amount of oil maybe admitted with the air and allowed to burn to partially or whollyconsume the carbon before the full supply of oil and steam are admitted.After the bodies of regenerative material in the two generators havebeen brought to a proper temperature, valves 10, 27, 49, 50, 53,'

55 and 29 are closed and valve 21 is opened, after which valves 57 51andV 56 are opened, thus injecting steam and oil through nozzles 42 intothe combined mixing and combustion chambers of both generators. Themixture is vaporized in these chambers and rariied and heated on itsdown fiow through the regenerative bodies, insuring the production ofgas containing a proper percentage of oil, and then the currents of gasdischarge into the connection 4 and through pipe 12 into the washer,thence to the scrubber and finally to the storage reservoir pipe 12 intothe washer. from thence to the scrubber and finally to the storagereservoir.

lVhen the regenerative materials in the generators have become soreducedin temperature that gas can not be economically produced, that is, whenthe temperature is so low that the gas would be too rich, the openedvalves above mentioned are closed and the generators again heated in themanner previously described, exceptin the reverse way, the generator Abeing employed as the heating generator, the air being drawn in throughthe stack 26 of said generator, while the products of combustiondischarge through the correspondin stack of the generator A. After thebodies of regenerative material have been heated sutticiently for thesecond run, the producing operation is again carried out in the mannerhereinbefore described and. which will be obvious from' the `foregoingdescription.

It will be observed that in the operation ofl the apparatus bothgenerators are simultaneously utilized for generating gas, and bothsimultaneously heated for the subsequent operation, and that as aconsequence greater eiiciencyis secured, as well as an increase ofproduct, over generators of that type in which after both generators areheated but one is employed for producing, allowing the heat within theother to go to waste.

Having described our invention, we claim:-

1. A gas generating apparatus comprising a pair of generators incommunication at their lower ends, each generator having a stack with anair blast pipe connected therewith and provided with a top combinedmixing and combustion chamber and a bottom combustion chamber, a set ofoil and steam injector nozzles communicating with the lower combustionchamber, a set of oil and steam inject-or nozzles communicating with theupper combined mixing and combustion chamber, supply pipes connectedwith said nozzles, distributing pipes connecting the supply pipes ofboth generators with each other and provided with controlling valves,and a secondary air blast means communieating with the connectionbetween the generators.

2. A gas generating apparatus comprising a pair of generators eachhaving a stack at its upper end provided with a valve and a valved airblast connection, said generators being in communication at their lower.ends and each provided at its lower end with a combustion chamber andin its top with a combined combustion and mixing chamber, a body ofregenerative material in each generator between said chambers, main oiland steam supply pipes, sets otsteam and oil supply connections leadinginto thechainbers of the generators, certain of said connections leadingdirectly from said main supply pipes, branch pipes between the other oiland steam connections up both generators and said main oil andsteam'supply pipes, and valves for controlling said main and branchpipes, whereby thc generators may be heated from each other and gassimultaneously produced in each generator, the connecting portion of thegenerators being provided with a gas outlet.

3. A gas generating apparatus comprising a pair of generators havingstacks at' their upper ends provided with valves and air blast pipeshaving valves therein, and connected at their lower ends with eachother, each generator being further provided with an upper combinedmixing and combustion chamber, a connection between the two generatorshaving a secondary air Ablast vpipe connected therewith, and a gasdischarge outlet leading therefrom, a lower setv of air and steam supplypipes for the lower combustion chainbei' of each generator, said pipeshaving injector nozzles connected therewith and extending into thecombustion chamber, two sets of steam and oil supply pipes for the uppercombined combustion and mixing chamber of each generator, each sethaving connecting nozzles extending therefrom into'the chamber, a'valvedpipe connecting the' lower steam pipe with the steam pipes of one of theupper sets of both generators, valved pipes connecting the. lower steampipe independently with the steam pipes of the other sets of upperconnections ot the generator, and valved oil supply pipes connecting theoil pipe of the lower set with the oil pipes of the upper sets of thepipes of both generators.

4. A gas generating apparatus comprising a pair of generators inconnection at their lower ends, each generator having a stack with anair blast pipe connected therewith and provided with a top combinedmixing and combustion chamber, and a bottom combustion chamber, a set ofoil and steam injector nozzles communicating with the lower combustionchamber, a set of oil and steam injector nozzles communicating with theupper combined and combustion chamber, a body of regenerative materialwithin each generator between the stack and upper mixing and. combustionchamber, a body of regenerative materialY within each generator betweenthe two chambers, supply pipes connected with said nozzles, distributingpipes connecting the supply pipes of both generators with each other andprovided with controlling valves, and a secondary air blast meanscommunicating with the connection between the generators,

In testimony whereof we ati'ix oui"signa tures in presence of twowitnesses.

ADELARD D. BRASSON. ANTQN A. YANKEE. Witnesses:

'Wimlrm C. Scum-ix, Louis l. Serrana.

